(Jun 10, 2010) On June 3, 2010, the government of Macau announced that the 20-year old Press Law and Broadcasting Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) would be revised in the next few years. (Law No. 7, Aug. 6, 1990, BOLETIM OFICIAL No. 32, 1990, available athttp://bo.io.gov.mo/bo/i/90/32/lei07.asp & Law No. 9, Sept. 4, 1989. BOLETIM OFICIAL No. 36, 1989, available athttp://bo.io.gov.mo/bo/i/89/36/lei08.asp [both texts available in Portuguese and Chinese].) The press and radio/television committees called for by the two laws have yet to be established, and due to the development of the Internet, the existing provisions need to be updated, according to Chan Chi Ping, the Director of the Information Bureau of the SAR. (Macau to Revise Press and Broadcasting Laws, MACAU NEWS, June 8, 2010, available at http://www.macaunews.com.mo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&amp;amp;id=887&Itemid=3.)

The possible changes were discussed at a meeting held at the Information Bureau that included heads of local media institutions. At that time Chan stated that the revisions would be based on free speech principles and will be done following research on the issues involved. That research work will include surveys to be carried out in cooperation with local academic institutions and will have no set deadline. Chan added that the goal is to have consensus between society and the media industry. (Id.)

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